


Crossroads

by ravensnwritingdesks



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: BAMF Tina Goldstein, F/M, Headcanon, Post Movie 2, and Newt lets her do her thing, good-bye MACUSA, post COG, she is not happy, supportive!Newt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-28 23:12:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15059900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravensnwritingdesks/pseuds/ravensnwritingdesks
Summary: “Are you sure you want to do this?”Tina took a look at her sister, finally being her smiling and beaming self again as she got reacquainted with Jacob just on the other side of the room. But she would never forget Queenie's harrowed looks and tear-shot eyes as she stumbled upon her by accident. “Yes. I’m done with MACUSA, Newt.”Or: How Tina Goldstein breaks her ties with the Magical Congress of the United States of America.





	Crossroads

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Too_Much_Fandom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Too_Much_Fandom/gifts).



> This work serves as a triple fill, if you will:  
>  Firstly, it is a contribution to the Fantastic Beasts Calender Collection for this week.  
>  It is also my fill for the last week of Newtina Appreciation Month, themed "Farewell".  
>  And thirdly, this idea was brought on by a prompt from Too_Much_Fandom, that resulted in a [NSFW version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15060365) of this fic as well.  
>  Enjoy!

“Are you sure you want to do this?” 

Tina took a look at her sister, finally being her smiling and beaming self again as she got reacquainted with Jacob just on the other side of the room. But she would never forget Queenie's harrowed looks and tear-shot eyes as she stumbled upon her by accident. “Yes. I’m done with MACUSA, Newt.”

They had told Queenie she was dead even before the body count of the attack could have been in, then tried to have her killed, when it turned out she was not among the victims after all. _It’s you!_ Theseus voice still sounded inside her head. _You’re the one they sent Grimmson after. Not Newt._ A notorious bounty hunter, out for her life. Someone high up clearly wanted her gone. 

“The policies, the ineffectiveness… all the lies and secrets. I’m so done.” And this had only been the last straw on a mounting pile. They exchanged a meaningful gaze. “There are better things lying ahead for me now.”

Newt nodded, cupping her cheek. “Then I’ll be with you every step of the way, Tina.” A smile. “If you’ll allow it, that is. I don’t mean to say you can’t handle this on your own.”

She chuckled and hummed her consent. “Take me hand and hold tight.”

He did. Tina took out her wand, but hesitated. “One more thing.” He raised an eyebrow in question. “I’ll do the talking, yes?”

Newt grinned but gave her an affirmative nod. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. _Portus._ ”

 

* * *

 

The portkey brought them straight back to where her last mission had started. But despite the hour of the day, the room was empty.

Newt blinked in surprise. “This is-”

Tina nodded and glanced over his shoulder. An imposing mahogany desk, a throne-like seat behind it, neatly stacked papers. The office hadn’t changed a bit since she’d left. Yet it felt completely different today. Anger flared up inside her as she realised what else had happened in here since then. All the lies, the backstabbing and secrets…

Newt squeezed her hand, calling her attention back into the now. “No one’s home, it seems.”

She chuckled. “There's two guards outside the door, whether someone’s here or not.”

“Should we-?” He nodded towards said door.

She let go of his hand as she turned towards the dark double doors, the room’s only entry and exit. “Let’s go ask for directions, shall we?”

A chuckle. A nod.

With a flick of her wand, the doors flew open, crashing against the walls with a bang that had both guards on the other side jump in shock. Delgado and Reeves. Both looked as though they’d seen a ghost. “Goldst-?”

“Where is she?”

Their stupor of surprise and confusion didn’t last for long, before Delgado sent a hex in her direction, exploding the chair behind her into little splinters as she ducked out of the way. Newt had hit him with a Full Body Bind before she could even turn back to face him. It felt good to have him by her side for this.

Tina advanced slowly, wand raised in warning at the remaining Auror. “P-please!”

He was barely out of training, she knew. “ _Where_ is she? Where’s Picquery?”

“D-Downstairs,” Reeves stuttered. “The Pentagram Office. For the memorial.”

She gave him a nod, then stunned him for good measure. This way at least he would have an easier time explaining how they’d slipped away with no alarm. She waited for Newt to finish tying up the other Auror, then led them through the maze that was the upper level corridors of MACUSA.

A memorial in the Pentagram Office… this would be interesting.

 

* * *

 

It seemed that all non-essential personnel had gathered in the hall. Only one other pair of Aurors had been on guard as they neared the Pentagram Office on the upper level, both too bewildered to react before her stunning spells hit them.

Tina motioned for Newt to stop in the shadows of the entryway as the door soundlessly swung shut behind them. Both listened intently at what the President had to say about her… _young, so full of potential, a terrible loss_. Honoured for her sacrifice. She couldn’t help wonder what exactly the official story for her death was.

“Let us raise our wands in a last salute to Porpentina Esther Goldstein, who died so bravely in service for her country.”

The entire hall lit up around them as wand tips pointed upwards and toward the too still, ghostly likeness of her, floating around the room. She had done her best to ignore it up until now, too close had she come to actually looking just like that. Tina raised her wand as well, ending that dreadful spell with a silent _Finite Incantatem_.

“I’m not dead,” she announced and she stepped from the shadows into the middle of the great hall. The same place where, just a few months ago she had handed a case over in good faith and been sentenced to death for it. And no one had batted an eye over it.

“Miss Goldstein!” The president looked rather shocked to see her, though she recovered from it just as quickly. One of her sweet, feigned smiles soon flashed in her direction as she took a step towards her. “You are a sight for sore eyes.”

Shocked murmurs filled the air around them, echoing from all corners of the Pentagram Office.

“I am _not_ dead,” she repeated, clutching her wand tightly. More than one _Revelio_ spell washed over her as she stood there and waited. “What do you have to say to that, Madame President?”

Another fake smile. “There must have been an error in communication between Paris and New York. I assure you, we did not know you had survived the attack.” 

Tina snorted. She'd had it with this woman. “I read the letter. I was declared dead only hours after the fact. But as we all know these-” She held up her arm, displaying the silver admonitor bracelet on her for all to see. “-are supervised. Admonitor bracelets only stop working when disabled by an official or the wearer dies, isn’t that right?”

More murmurs, but the slack-jawed faces and disbelieving stares were not only directed at her any more. She turned to take the crowd in, finding Newt watching her from the shadows with an encouraging nod. She took another breath. 

“And yet you all just attended my memorial.” Tina turned back to the woman at the head of the hall, standing in front of her throne looking regal and proud as ever. “ _What_ do you have to say?”

The president sighed. “You must have been through quite the ordeal, Miss Goldstein. I'm sure your sister will be very happy to see you-”

“My sister-” Tina interrupted her. “-was indeed very happy to find me alive in Paris. But she wasn’t the only one that came looking for me.”

“What do you mean, Goldstein?” A man just to her left had asked the question, frowning. Hodgkin, Senior Auror for Major Investigations.

“Does the name Grimmson ring a bell with you?” Some agreeing murmurs, a nod. “Bounty hunter. Henchman. He came after me. ” A collective gasp rang through the hall, followed by shocked murmurs and accusing voices.

"By orders of our president," she finished.

“You’re going too far, Miss Goldstein!” Picquery held her head high as she met Tina’s eyes in confrontation. “There is no evi-”

“Actually, there is.” Tina pulled a scroll of parchment from the inner pocket of her jacket and handed it to the Auror. “You’ll find it signed by yours truly, Seraphina Picquery. And her second in command.”

Shouts rang out behind her, though she could not make out what side they were arguing for. But Tina did not care much. Her attention was still focussed on the woman before her. “What do you have to say, _Madame President_?”

A small cluster had formed around Hodgkin, investigating the incriminating document. More than a few of the man and women glared accusingly at Picquery before spreading the news.

“I did what was necessary for the security of our community,” Picquery finally announced, holding on to what little righteousness she still believed to have while the voices of outrage grew louder. “You left your post, you defied your orders, you fraternised with our enemies. And you knew too much of our operations to simply let that pass.”

Tina nodded. “Yeah, I thought as much.” She spun and looked back at the people around her. “You see? MACUSA doesn’t give a dragot about what’s right or wrong. They only serve themselves, to keep their secrets and their power.” Newt looked on with an expression of pride. Tina could only hope they would believe these words from the mouth of one of their own.

Picquery squared her shoulders. “No one is more important than the safety of our country.”

“Of _course_ not, Madame President.” She turned around to look at the crowds once more. “Let this be a warning to you all. We’re all just pawns in a game we didn’t even know was played. Easy to sacrifice to when it helps win the objective.” Her eyes fall back to the woman up front. “But no more. I, President Picquery, I quit!”

Finally, that woman’s face broke from her usual stoic expression. “I will not have you go over to the enemy’s side, Goldstein! Aurors, take her into custody!”

A few of the men and women in leather coats actually took a step forward, though slow and unsure of what to do after all those revelations. She was their trusted colleague, and she was supposed to be dead yet stood right there. 

Tina had the advantage over them. “Oh, I don’t think so.” 

She pointed her wand at the overbearing white flower arrangements on the dais. And then all hell broke loose as an army of transfigured Nifflers scattered into all directions, causing havoc in their mindless search for glittery things. Panic broke out among the people in the hall as they tried to flee from those unknown and potentially dangerous creatures. Picquery gave a screech as not just one but five of them scuttled up her body to get at her elaborate golden headdress.

The Magical Congress was _terrified_ of magical creatures, no matter how small.

Tina gave the Pentagram Office one last glance as she turned around to leave, reaching for Newt’s hand in passing. He held on firmly and did not let go, following her out of the mounting chaos, out of the Woolworth building and out of her old life with a determined expression.

She was done with MACUSA.

 

* * *

 

“Was it too much?” she wondered as they walked towards the old brownstone house, suddenly feeling all but confident any more when reality sunk in. She did not regret quitting, but the way in which she had done so… Witnessing her own memorial and Picquery's lies first-hand had driven all carefully laid plans from her mind.

“No, you were magnificent, Tina. You _are_ magnificent.” A smile tugged at his lips as he squeezed her hand. “You exposed her for what she is. Let her try and weasel her way out of this one."

Tina chuckled as they walked up the front steps, only to be met with the disapproving glare of Mrs. Esposito. But her landlady let them pass upstairs with barely a grumble when she announced her imminent move from the apartment. A good thing, too. There was no time left to loose. Theseus’ portkey to London would leave in just about four hours and they had to pack up an entire life before then.

"That transfiguration at the end was a particularly nice touch, I have to say. Nifflers." Newt grinned. "You're a very skilled witch.”

She smiled, feeling heat blooming on her cheeks at his words. “Stop your flattery and get packing, Mr. Scamander."

A laugh. "Yes, ma'am."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading! The headcanon I work with in this fic is based on [this post](https://ravens-and-writings.tumblr.com/post/172593156492/the-goldstein-sisters-in-fantastic-beasts-crimes) on tumblr, speculating that Tina might be declared dead after a terrorist attack in Paris, causing a disbelieving Queenie to go and look for her.  
> Let me know what you think, your comments and kudos will be very much appreciated.  
> 
> 
> * * *
> 
> If you are interested in getting a notification for any new story I post, you can subscribe to my [AO3 profile](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ravensnwritingdesks/pseuds/ravensnwritingdesks).  
> You can also follow my tumblr [@ravens-and-writings](https://ravens-and-writings.tumblr.com/) for updates, previews and other fun stuff about Newtina, Fantastic Beasts and the Potterverse in general.  
> 


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